lso notified me,
through letters, that he wishes to be our friend and your Majesty's
vassal. This is also an important matter, for the place is suitably
situated for your royal service. That river is the most important
one in the island and the latter receives its name from it. If I
have the opportunity I shall send men there; and, if convenient,
we shall make a settlement there.

In case I have people and ships enough, I intend to send men to
discover the islands of Lequios [Liu-Kiu] on this side of Japan. This
will be of much importance to the service of your Majesty.

Inasmuch as this island of Lucon is so large, and as, for the
preservation of the natives, we need some settlements of Spaniards
to protect and defend them, and teach them our holy Catholic faith,
it seemed best to send Captain Juan de Salcedo with seventy or eighty
soldiers to people the coast of Los Ylocos, on the shores of a river
called Bigan. There I ordered him to found the town of Fernandina
in memory of the prince, our master [97] (may he live many happy
years); and I continued to apportion, in the name of your Majesty,
all that had been discovered and won over thereabout, reserving for
your Majesty what had been ordered me through your royal decree.

The Chinese, in view of the kind treatment that they have always
received and do receive at our hands, continue to increase their
commerce each year, and supply us with many articles as sugar, wheat,
and barley flour, nuts, raisins, pears, and oranges; silks, choice
porcelains and iron; and other small things which we lacked in this
land before their arrival. This year they gave me a drawing of the
coast of China, made by themselves, which I am sending to your Majesty.

There is great need in these regions of Franciscan, Dominican, and
Theatin religious, and of some ecclesiastics, for the conversion of
the natives. The Theatins are much and especially needed; for, as
an eyewitness, I know the great results that they have obtained in
Yndia. With the coming of more people, it will be necessary to found
a few Spanish settlements in this island of Lucon, which is large, and
in other islands; for already these natives are being baptized daily,
and are embracing our holy faith and religion. They are very quiet and
reconciled, and will be more so when many religious of the said orders
have arrived; for at present we have only ten Augustinian religious
here, and they are not sufficient for the great la